HOW TO: Change the Yamada DVX-6600 Backdrop!

!WARNING!
The following steps inevitably invole altering the standard firmware, so do at your own risk!

WHY would you want to do this?
==============================
To my mind the Yamada 6600 backdrop does not shout 'new technology', rather it reminds me
of the technology available in the mid 80's such as the images displayed by a Commodore 64!
Secondly, by changing the backdrop you can customize your player to your own taste and as
a security feature, add your name and address. Using this technique I believe that not only
can the backdrop be replaced but also two menu screens (I have NOT tried this yet).

This simple method requires no programming or electronics knowledge, futhermore it only
makes use of freely available software easily sourced from the internet.

You will need to get hold of:
=============================
(*) A copy of the Yamada firmware (I used the latest v4)
http://www.yamada.de/ftp/6600r4.zip
or http://www.yamada.de/FWupdate/FWsearch.htm
(*) MTK MPEGTool v0.1(beta)
http://personal.inet.fi/koti/mabreaker/mabreaker/mediatek/MTKMpegTool01b1.rar
(*)MTK Firmware ReMaker v0.2 RC 2
http://personal.inet.fi/koti/mabreaker/mabreaker/mediatek/MTKReMaker.exe
(*) You MAY also want to get MagicISO
http://www.magiciso.com/
(*) Cool backdrops (or make your own of course)
http://www.geocities.com/d_booty1/splash_screens/splash_screen.htm
(*) A CD burning package such as Nero.

Change the backdrop thus:
======================
1) Download the firmware updare file from the 'net available as a CD image .ISO file.
Copy (or extract from the ISO file) the firmare binaries to your HDD thus:
The ISO file contains three files:
DUMMY
ZVDX6000.BIN
ZVDX6600.BIN
We will be working with the ZVDX6000.BIN & ZVDX6600.BIN files. These files contain the
original Yamada backdrop that we will replace with our own picture. Note that BOTH these
files contain the Yamada backdrop picture. I guess that the one in the 6600 file is actually
used but I changed both. (It worked so what the hell

To obtain these files either burn the downloaded firmware CD image .ISO file to CD & then
copy the files to HDD or better still, extract the three binary files directly from the ISO
image using MagicISO thus:
i) Start MagicISO
ii) File -> Open & browse to the .ISO file (e.g. 6600r4.ISO)
(Should now see 3 files in the right hand window).
iii) Right click on each file & select Extract...
iv) Browse to a suitable destination folder.
(It may be a good idea to make a subdirectory called 'BackUp' & copy these files to this
directory. Use this to recover from any possible 'mistakes'!)

2) Create / obtain a picture that you want for the new backdrop...
The image used for the backdrop is a single framed (PAL standard) MPEG.
(The two menu images are single framed (NTSC standard) MPEGs).
Hence create a picture size of 720x576 (PAL) for the backdrop.
(Or 720x480 (NTSC) for the menus).
The picture can be a JPEG, BMP, EMF or WMF.

3) Convert the picture above to a single framed MPEG video file...
Start MPEG Tool.
File -> Open. Browse to your picture.
Under Target drop down select 720 x 576 (PAL) {or 720x480(NTSC) if changing a menu screen}.
Click on the 'Output Image' tab to see if the resulting image will be OK.
File -> Save. Browse to output destination.
Now test the resulting mpeg file by 'playing' it in player such as Windows Media Player.

4) Replace the original Yamada backdrop with the replacement MPEG 'picture' from above...
Start MTKReMaker.
File->Open & browse to the ZVDX6600.BIN file.
The program then displays 'WARNING! : File size > 1Mb !' This is fine, just click OK.
On the 'Data Part' branch click on the + next to 'MPEG Block'.
Should now see MPEG1 MPEG2 MPEG3.
Click on MPEG1 & you should see the original Yamada backdrop.
(or Click on MPEG2 or MPEG3 if changing the menu screens).
Click Item -> Replace & browse to single framed MPEG file containing your new backdrop pitcure.
The program then displays 'WARNING! : File size > 1Mb !' This is fine, just click OK.
The orignal backdrop should now be replaced by your new backdrop.
File->Save CD (This step automatically recalculates & inserts a new checksum).
Repeat above for the binary file ZVDX6000.BIN.

For piece of mind, use MTKReMaker to check that the images have been correctly inserted
by reopening the new .BIN files.

5) Burn the new firmware binaries to CD...
Burn the files...
DUMMY (as original)
ZVDX6000.BIN (with new image)
ZVDX6600.BIN (with new image)
... to a CD (better to use rewritable media to save wasting CDs) using a program
such as Nero Burning ROM. Make sure the CD is finalised i.e. not multisession.
Label the CD: DVX6600_R4

6) Upgrade the Yamada DVX-6600 DivX player using the CD...
i) Power on the Yamada DVX player & Insert the CD, close the tray.
ii) The screen should go black with the message:
Upgrade file DETECTED
Upgrade?
Press play to start.
If the player does not do this then the CD has not been recognised as a firmware disk.
iii) Press play (either on the remote or on the player itself).
iv) After 6 seconds the CD tray should eject the disk & the player display 'UPG' (upgrading).
v) Immediately remove the CD from the tray.
(I noticed that if the CD does not automatically eject then things are not working
properly. Don't worry if this happens - just power off & on again and the original
firmware should run {that is to say it shouldn't get overwritten}).
vi) After approx 65 seconds upgrading should be complete and you should now be greeted with
your new backdrop.

An exhaustive explaination I know, but then hopefully everyone can benefit.

Good luck,

Andy.